The Strongest Tribe:War, Politics and the Endgame in Iraq

Published by Random House 2008

Kirkus Review (Starred): "A balanced, panoramic assessment of the Iraq War by former Marine and Reagan administration veteran … What makes West’s book fresh and exciting is his ability to weave together two narrative strands. Compelling, firsthand accounts of the war, recorded while embedded with the troops, highlight bravery and leadership on the battlefield. By contrast, incisive strategic analyses of the war unearth a fundamental contradiction between pre-surge military strategy... and Bush’s policy of winning the war.... A timely, eye-opening historical analysis that provides clarity around the difficult choices the next president faces."

‘West calls it like he sees it, and there is probably no American not wearing a uniform who has seen more of this war.” – Washington Post review of The Strongest Tribe